China is building its second state of the art Air Craft Carrier: Defence Ministry
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BEIJING: China’s defence ministry confirmed on Thursday that is building a second aircraft carrier as Beijing seeks to assert its claims over a number of contested Island and reefs in the South and East China seas.
Defence Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun said China had started to design and construct a 50,000 tonne vessel capable of hosting the People’s Liberation Army’s J-15 fighter.
Chinese military analysts say a stronger navy is needed to push back against containment by the US, which is pivoting more of its military forces to the East Asia region, and to counter Washington’s regional allies including South Korea, Japan and the Philippines.
The South China Sea is one of the most important waterways in the world, through which ships carry oil to China from the Middle East and Chinese exports to Europe.
As part of its naval build-up, on December 28, China commissioned three new vessels for its South China Sea fleet. (Financial Times)
